Let's turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 17. Continuing in our study in the life of David, we find him in the valley of Elah facing the Philistine giant Goliath. We looked at verses 1 to 37 last week. We'll take up the rest of the chapter this evening, but I do want to begin reading in verse 20 just to remind us of where we're at in the context.

So beginning in 1 Samuel chapter 17 at verse 20. So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with the keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army.

And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines, and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them, and all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. So the men of Israel said, have you seen this man who has come up?

Surely he has come up to defy Israel, and it shall be that the man who kills him, the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter and give his father's house exemption from taxes in Israel. Then David spoke to the man who stood by him saying, what shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him in this manner, saying, So shall it be done for the man who kills him.

Now Eliab, his oldest brother, heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.

And David said, What have I done now? Is there not a cause? Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing. And these people answered him as the first ones did.

Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul, and he sent for him. Then David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with his Philistine. And Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

But David said to Saul, Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it and delivered the lamb from its mouth. And when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. Moreover, David said, The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, he will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.

And Saul said to David, Go, and the Lord be with you. So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head. He also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them.

And David said to Saul, I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them. So David took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.

So the Philistine came and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. So the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. Then David said to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you.

And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hands. So it was when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead so that the stone sank into his forehead and he fell on his face to the earth.

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Sherem, even as far as Gath and Ekron. Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents. And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I do not know. So the king said, Inquire whose son this young man is. Then, as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

And Saul said to him, Whose son are you, young man? So David answered, I am the son of your servant Jesse, the Bethlehemite. Amen. Well, let us pray.

Opening Prayer

Our Father, we thank you for your written word. We thank you for this life of David and for the grace of God that is so clearly manifested in his life. We ask, Father, that You would guide us now by Your Holy Spirit, that You would encourage our hearts, that we would see that You are the God of absolute sovereignty, of unrivaled majesty, a God of glory and power, the true and living God, as the Bible so clearly states. And we ask that you would give us that grace to find great comfort in you, give us that grace to live in a manner that is consistent with your word, and give us faith, Lord God, to believe not only on the Lord Jesus Christ, which you've enabled us to do for our justification, but may we live lives exhibiting faith in our great and living and true God.

Forgive us again for all of our sins now, fill us with your Holy Spirit, and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Introduction

Well, we saw last week how this Philistine giant was taunting the armies of the living and true God. And we also saw how the armies of the living and true God were very fearful. The children of Israel were quivering with fear. They were in fear dreadfully with reference to this particular giant.

And it wasn't just the armies of Israel, but it was also the king of Israel, namely Saul. So David is sent on a mission by his father Jesse to deliver some food to the front, to check on the status of his brothers, and then to bring back word to Jesse. But instead, he's out there, and he hears the blathering of this giant, and he makes this statement that we see. The first words that David speaks in all of Scripture is found in verse 26.

What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? He is incredulous at what is transpiring. He is absolutely shocked that this is being allowed to continue.

And so David presents himself as an able warrior that will be able to do battle with this man, Goliath. That drops us down to about verse 33 or verse 31. So it says, when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul and he sent for him. Then David said to Saul, let no man's heart fail because of him.

Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. So he formally presents himself to the king and says that he's willing to take on the task. And of course, Saul says, but you're just a youth. And this man from his youth has been a mighty warrior.

And David shows, or David demonstrates, the source of his strength. He doesn't say, I'm a strong guy, I lift a lot of weights, I eat a lot of protein, and I'm the man fit for service. No, we see how God had delivered him in his task as a shepherd. And then specifically in verse 37, he says, the Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.

So he serves the true and living God, and as a result, he walks by faith in that God, and therefore he's going to engage in these mighty exploits for God. So that brings us now to the actual battle with Goliath in verses 37 to 54. It's the first head that we'll look at, and then secondly, the identity of the warrior's father in verses 55 to 58. But under the battle with Goliath, we have five things we want to look at.

First, the preparation for battle. Secondly, the meeting between the warriors. Third, the declaration of David. Fourth, the victory of David over Goliath.

And then fifth, the victory of Israel over the Philistines. So

Preparation for Battle

let's look first of all at the preparation for battle in 37b to 40. So Saul gives him his permission, verse 37b, Saul said to David, go and the Lord be with you. Now, after the blessing of Saul, he arms David. This is absolutely crucial to go into battle against a Philistine giant.

You need armor. You need battle. David is a man who trusts in God, but he also keeps his powder dry. And while he doesn't use the particular armor that is supplied to him by Saul, he doesn't go without anything into the battle.

He goes with his sling and these five smooth stones. But this particular armament was not to his liking because it wasn't tested. He is a man dependent upon God. He is a man who lives by faith, and that faith and that dependence determines him to have wisdom.

He's not going to enter battle unprepared or ill-prepared. He wants to go into battle as prepared as he is able because he's not a fool. Faith does not reduce us to the level of ignorance. Faith, rather, enables us to walk wisely before our living and true God.

Faith engenders courage. It also engenders wisdom. And we need wisdom for the various battles that we confront in this particular world. Now notice the selection of these five smooth stones in verse 40.

He took his staff in his hand and he chose for himself five smooth stones. He's not presumptuous. He doesn't just choose one. Though, as I mentioned this morning, David cannot entertain the thought that he's going to lose this exchange.

He has that confidence in God that just as God delivered him from the lion and just as God delivered him from the bear, God is going to deliver him from this dog, this Philistine giant, that is taunting the armies of the living and the true God. So he takes up these five smooth stones and puts them in the pouch. Now, such stones would range from about two to three inches in diameter. We might hear this and we might be a bit surprised.

Is this a good and competent weapon to take into battle against a man who's nine feet, nine inches tall, who has 126 pounds of armor? He has a sword with a 15 to 16 pound iron head. I mean, he is a giant. He is a big fellow.

He is armed to the teeth, and he is a warrior trained from his youth. And so when we look at this, we might be a bit puzzled. But they were two to three inches in diameter, and when flung by an accomplished warrior, could reach speeds of 100 to 150 miles per hour, all of which could make for a stunning victory, which is obviously what we see here, because God blesses the stone. It finds its place in the giant's forehead, and it kills him.

Now

Meeting Between the Warriors

notice secondly the meeting between the warriors, verses 41 to 44. Verse 41, so the Philistine came and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. So now in this valley of Elah, I mean the scene is just incredible. You've got this young shepherd that comes out now to face the best and the strongest of the Philistine army.

And we see the uncircumcised man taunts David in verses 42 to 44. In the first place,

Goliath Disdains David

he disdains him. Notice what it says there in verses 42 and 43. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. So the Philistine said to David, am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?

It was an insult as far as Goliath is concerned. Goliath, again, is the champion of the Philistine army. And instead of Israel facing him with their champion of their army, they have a man that's not even in the army. They have a young man that's a shepherd, a pretty boy at that, and he has come out to meet him on the field of battle.

That is an insult to Goliath. Now, ultimately, he's going to eat that insult. Ultimately, he is going to face the reality that David was more than adequate for the task at hand. John Gill says he looked about for his antagonist to take a view of him.

What sort of a man he was, expecting to see one much like himself. That would have been what he expected. He would have expected the biggest and the best of Israel's army to face him in the battle. But then he goes on to say, but observing a puny young man, he despised him in his heart and perhaps looked upon it as an affront to him to send such a man to fight with him.

A modern commentator, Robert Alter, describes it this way, a mere boy and egregiously red-headed pretty boy at that. This is precisely the order of the original syntax arranged to mimic Goliath's perceptions. Has been sent to do battle with the mightiest Philistine warrior. It was an insult to Goliath that David was the man offered up by Israel to do battle with him.

And then

Goliath Curses by His Gods

notice that he curses him by his gods. Verse 43, and the Philistine cursed David by his gods. You need to understand that when David drops Goliath, it is not only a judgment of God on the armies of the Philistines or on the Philistines themselves, but as well upon their gods. He cursed David by his gods.

Obviously, his gods didn't get the message. Obviously, his gods didn't respond to the message. Obviously, his gods were not the true and living God. Remember, in Exodus chapter 12, one of the reasons for the Exodus is not only judgment upon Egypt, but also upon the gods of Egypt.

Remember, we're dealing with idolaters and the Lord Most High is demonstrating that he is in fact the true and the living God. So when he curses him by his gods, for instance, Dagon, he was a popular God among the Philistines. Well, Dagon can't hear. Dagon can't respond.

Dagon can't answer, and Dagon certainly can't curse, because Dagon is a fake. And so this statement by our narrator shows us that it's not just an earthly exchange, but rather it is an indictment upon the folly of idolatry engaged in by those outside of Israel. Those who do not have the true and living God can appeal to their gods all they want, but they will never get the response. They will never get the answer.

Remember that scene at Mount Carmel in 1 Kings chapter 18, when Elijah goes up against those false prophets. They carry on in a frenzy. They gash themselves. They cut themselves.

They bleed on themselves, trying to appeal to Baal so that Baal will bring fire down to accept the sacrifice that had been offered up. But there was no voice. There was no answer. There was no response.

Why? Because there's no Baal. The emphasis in the passage is not on us slaying our giants. The emphasis in the passage is on us understanding who the true and living God is.

In fact, what David is engaged in is not simply dispensing with an enemy of the armies of Israel, but it's a theological endeavor. It's a theological enterprise, and that's what verses 46 and 47 highlight and indicate. But before we move on, notice that he boasts of his coming victory in verse 44. The Philistine said to David, come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.

As mentioned earlier, David doesn't entertain for a moment the thought that he's going to lose. Neither does Goliath. Goliath thinks as far as he is concerned, this is going to be a quick work. This is going to be very simple.

This is a young man. This is a ruddy man. This is a redheaded man. The language is suggestive there.

And this is a man that is not worthy of my stature. So I'm going to dispense with him immediately, and then I'm going to go after the rest of the armies of Israel. He is confident, David is confident, but David's confidence does not lie in David, it lies in the true and living God. So

Declaration of David

let's look thirdly at the declaration of David in verses 45 to 47. Notice the statement concerning his strength. Verse 45, Then David said to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

See, it's not just that the Philistine giant engages in trash talk. David is meeting him with it in kind. David is bringing it to bear upon him as well. He acknowledges the armament that the giant brings to this battle, but he says, I come in the name of the living and true God.

Again, David is consistent. David is consistent throughout his life. He's not a perfect man. He's not a sinless man, but he rather is a sincere man with reference to the true and living God.

He knows that God delivered him with reference to the lion and the bear, and he knows that God will deliver him with reference to this Philistine giant. So this statement, again, underscores the reality that David walks by faith. David is not a self-actualized man. He's not a self-sufficient man.

He's not a self-dependent man, but he's a God-dependent man, and that faith that he has is the backdrop for the courage that he has and the wisdom. Now

David's Promise of Victory

notice the promise concerning his victory in verse 46. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. If the very presence of David was an insult to Goliath, what do you think these words did to him? I'm sure he was not happy or thrilled whatsoever with the trash talk given him by King David of Israel.

And so when he hears this, he's probably incensed. He's probably outraged. He is probably looking with incredulity as well. The same sort of incredulity that David had initially.

Who is this uncircumcised man taunting the armies of the living God? Turn that over now to Goliath. He is hearing this young man mock him. He is hearing this young man promise to kill him on the field of battle.

He is probably most definitely outraged by what is happening in this instance. But you know what? That wouldn't deter David. You know, sometimes when the opponent gets angrier, and the opponent seems more menacing, and the opponent seems more strong and vicious, that might present a time for the person to cower or back down.

But what does David say? when the lion and when the bear attacked the sheep. David took the sheep out of the very mouths of the lion and the bear. When the lion and the bear were at their most vicious, when they could taste the blood of the sheep going down into the throat, when they got a taste, as it were, for that, David nevertheless opened up those animals' jaws and took his sheep back and then killed those animals. So the blathering giant and his newfound anger and incredulity doesn't shake David.

David is there in the name of the living and true God, and David is not going to back down. And brethren, this is why I say, with reference to this particular passage, we need to understand where our strength lies. The Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians chapter 2 that we're to shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation. and that we're to hold forth the word of truth. Now, when we look at ourselves, we don't see courage, we don't see bravery, we don't see ability to get in the faces of those enemies of the Lord and to oppose them, but God gives grace.

Remember the mighty apostle Paul himself in Ephesians chapter six asks for prayer for himself, that boldness would be given to him, that he would speak the gospel as he ought to speak. So Paul wasn't a naturally mighty man. But rather, Paul was dependent upon the living and true God. He had faith in God, and that engendered the courage that Paul had to face the pagans, to face the Jews in the synagogue, to say what he says there.

In Acts chapter 21, there at verse 14, he says, I'm ready to go to Jerusalem, not only to be bound, but also to die for the name of the Lord Jesus. Well, how do we explain that? It's not because Paul is great, but it's because Paul's Christ is great. Paul's God is great.

It's not because David is great, but it's because the true and living God is great. And that's the emphasis in the passage. Now

Theological Purpose of the Battle

notice the very lessons to be learned at the end of this particular contest. And verses 46 and 47 is the very purpose. This is the center. This is what you need to take away from this particular passage.

People read this and they say, well, you've got this Goliath in your life. Perhaps you're being bullied on the school ground. Well, you need to be a David and face up to it. That might be true, but that's not what this story is about.

The story is about demonstrating who the true and living God is, underscoring as well that Dagon ain't, that it's Yahweh of Israel. Notice. The fact that David doesn't even entertain the thought that he will lose. Verse 46, This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you.

And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth. Notice that it's not just you, Goliath, it's the Philistines. David ain't going for just that one man. He's got the whole Philistine army in his sight.

And then notice that, verse 46, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. These Philistines were idolaters. These Philistines bowed to Dagon. These Philistines had a plethora of false gods.

And so what Yahweh is teaching in this endeavor is, again, a theological lesson. There is but one only, the true and living God. And His name is Yahweh, and He is the God of Israel. And that is a lesson that was supposed to be learned by these Philistines as a result of David's victory.

But it's not only that. Notice in verse 47, then all this assembly. So David moves from the Philistines, the idolaters out there, to the assembly, to the armies of Israel. to the children of Israel. Remember their posture up until this point?

They're cowering in fear. They have a dreadful fear of this Philistine giant and the rest of the armies of the Philistines. Saul, their leader, you can't call him a fearless leader. Rather, he is a fearful leader.

So David understands that not only does the Philistines need tutelage, but so does Israel. And that's what he speaks to there in verse 47. then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." I mean, isn't that the message that Israel needed always, but so often forgot? They began to think, at times, that they were living on their own. that there was no true and living God, that it all depended upon them. If you doubt that, read the former prophets.

Read from 1st Judges all the way to 2nd Kings. Well, Joshua to 2nd Kings. You will see, in many instances, the problem with Israel is that they functioned or conducted themselves as practical atheists. They forgot the true and living God, and they tried to do things in their own strength.

And as far as David is concerned, what he has surmised as he's looked upon this scene, as he has come upon this scene and met a fearful soul and fearful armies, and he has had that incredulity that this uncircumcised is taunting the armies of the living God. David understands they need a refresher. They need a new lesson. They need a new help in terms of strengthening their own faith so that this will never happen again.

Israel understands or must understand that they live under the guidance of a sovereign God, a majestic God, a glorious God, the true and living God. And that is precisely what he underscores in this particular instance. The Lord's power oftentimes, as we see displayed here, is demonstrated through the weakness of Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." Now, understand, brethren, that that does not mean that God always sends His people into battle without sword and spear.

It means the emphasis isn't upon sword and spear. The emphasis is upon the living and true God. to guide the sword, to guide the spear, to guide the one smooth stone that flies out of David's sling into the head of this giant, this Philistine giant. Davis makes this observation. It's a bit of a lengthy quote, but I think it captures much of what's happening in the section.

This theme of weakness, that's what is essentially exhibited here. that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." In other words, it's not dependent upon your armament. It's not dependent upon your savvy. It's not dependent upon your ability. It is dependent upon the true and living God.

God can take weak things and do great things through them. So Davis says, this theme of weakness has been building throughout the chapter. All the important people regard David as weak. If we might colloquialize, Eliab tells him, you're a pain, verse 28.

Saul warns, you're green, verse 33. And Goliath sneers, you're puny, verse 42. But he is the one God uses to deliver. Nor does David have the right equipment.

He refuses to be a little Goliath and lays aside Saul's armor and sword. He insults Goliath with his staff. But he demonstrates that God brings deliverance without the symbols of man's strength. That is excellent.

That's what the Bible is about. My strength is made evident through your weakness, he says to the Apostle Paul. What matters is not whether you have the best weapons. This is important.

Now, having said that, get the best weapons. But what matters is not whether you have the best weapons, but whether you have the real God. That's the point! Who is this uncircumcised man taunting the armies of the living God?

We cannot allow for that because this God is great and glorious. He says, in fact, your inadequacy may be precisely your qualification for serving God, for His strength shines most brightly behind the foreground of your weaknesses. That is a great observation in this particular section. If there were bets being conducted on that day, I'm sure the money went Goliath's direction.

I'm sure nobody was saying, David, you know, 10 to 1 odds. No, they were all betting on the giant from Gath and Philistia. He was going to be the hands-down winner that nobody would ever doubt. And yet God the Lord uses David to manifest his own glory.

Victory of David Over Goliath

Fourthly, notice the victory of David over Goliath. Now remember, Goliath is 9 feet 9 inches. He has 126 pounds of armor. He has a sword with a 15 to 16 pound iron head.

Guess what you can't do when you're that big? Move quickly. Agility was not a skill set that the giant possessed. David, however, had agility.

Again, it's not the case that we wander into battle without wisdom. We have faith, which engenders courage and also produces wisdom. Those who serve the true and living God seek wisdom. Remember when God comes to Solomon and says, what would you like?

And Solomon says, I'd like wisdom. If I'm called upon to administrate the kingdom of God on earth, it is going to require a great deal of wisdom. God, the Lord rejoices over that. God says, wow, you didn't ask for cars.

You didn't ask for boats. You didn't ask for summer homes. You asked for wisdom. That was a great blessing.

And then the manifestation of the demonstration of that request, the fact that God had given it, was when the harlots came with the baby. And Solomon says, well, cut the baby in half. And obviously the mother says, no, don't do that. That was a great exhibition of the wisdom that God had given to Solomon in that instance.

So David is wise, David is agile, and David is going to use that to his advantage. Notice the clunkiness of Goliath, I don't know if that's a word, and the speed of David. Verse 48. So it was when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried.

Goliath couldn't hurry. Goliath, probably it was a task to get up. for him being that large and having all that armament, but David rather hurries and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Again, that's faith, not because he's great, but because the God that he serves is great. We see the blessing of God upon David's stone, verse 49.

Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone, and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth." Again, imagine the face of Goliath at that particular point. He thought it was a shoe-in. Imagine all the onlookers. They thought it was a shoe-in.

They thought it was a done deal. Slam dunk. Goliath will have the victory in no time flat. Well, this stone penetrates his forehead.

And now this man, in his 9 feet 9 inches, whatever weight he had, in addition to all the armament, falls down. It was probably a loud, crashing thud as he hits the earth. Now, notice the death of the uncircumcised Philistine in verses 50 and 51. Now, people suggest there's a contradiction here in the Bible, because verse 50 says he killed him, and then verse 51 says he killed him.

Do you think the author didn't recognize that? Do you think the author didn't identify that in verse 50 he wrote, he killed him, and then in verse 51 he wrote, he killed him? You think we're smarter than the man who actually wrote this narrative? We're not, brethren.

It's the case that if somebody dies in the hospital four days after a car accident, we attribute the death to the car accident. even if he didn't die at the actual scene of the car accident. That's the way you need to understand verses 50 and 51. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone and struck the Philistine and killed him. He was as good as dead.

He was as good as dead. He died at the scene. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword, and drew it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head with it." No contradiction, simply emphasizing and reiterating the death blow dealt to this Goliath, or this giant from Gath, by David under the hand and mercy of God Almighty.

Now based on this,

Victory of Israel Over the Philistines

look at the victory fifthly of Israel over the Philistines. They're not so scared anymore. David's faith engendered courage on their part now that he's victorious over the giant. They were cowering, they were whining, they were grumbling, they were hiding behind Saul's skirts, and they would not go out to battle to face Goliath.

Now that David has dispatched the giant, now they are emboldened to do what they should have done initially. Notice, the Philistines fled when they saw their headless champion lying on the ground. 51b. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. That makes sense, right?

You beat the biggest and the strongest. That indicates that you are easy prey as well. So if Goliath couldn't face this man, then they themselves couldn't face this man, so they flee. Now the tables have turned.

What was once the problem of Israel has become the problem of the Philistines. They are now fearful of this man with the sling. Notice as well, the Israelites give chase and they bring destruction upon the Philistine army. So it has a good end.

I mean, we fault the Israelite army and Saul initially, but thankfully they did step up to the task. Now that David has dispatched the biggest foe, the biggest menace of them all, now the men of Israel, according to verse 52, and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. and the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Sherem, even as far as Gath and Akron." Remember, this was a very strategically tactical battle. They needed to secure this valley of Elah, because if they had not, if the Philistines had won that day, They'd have open opportunity to enter into Israel anytime they wanted, and to do whatever mayhem and disservice to them that they wanted. So this was a great victory.

Notice as well, the Israelites plundered the Philistines' tents. Back earlier in the chapter, Goliath had made this deal. He says, if you win, then we will be your servants. But if we win, then you will be our servants.

Now that was trash talk. Goliath wasn't serious. But regardless of that, Israel's making good on that. Now they plunder the stuff that was the Philistines, because their man David bested the champion of the army of the Philistines.

And then the victor brought Goliath's head to Jerusalem, according to verse 54. David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent. So there was a brief time when David is wandering around The area there carrying the head of Goliath.

Identity of the Warrior's Father

Now that brings us finally to consider the identity of the warrior's father. Again, persons suggest there is big problems with the narrative at this particular point. Saul already met David in 1 Samuel 16. Remember, it was David who played the harp to soothe Saul when the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul.

As well, Saul just spoke to David prior to David going into battle against Goliath. So why the question about David? It wasn't a question about David. It was a question about David's father.

Remember the deal that was struck. If you go back to verse 25. So the men of Israel said, have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel and it shall be that the man who kills him, the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter and give his father's house exemption from taxes in Israel.

So what we find in verses 55 to 58 is the making good of that transaction, confirming who the father of David is. Yes, he had known earlier that it was Jesse the Bethlehemite that was the father of David. But Saul is the king of a country. I'm sure he meets lots of people, and perhaps for a moment may have forgot the specific parentage of this young warrior, David.

So this is to affirm and confirm who the father of David was, so that the father of David could receive tax-exempt status. Isn't that interesting? That was a boon and a blessing in Old Covenant Israel. Tax-exempt status.

Well, we know why, because in 1 Samuel 8, when the people are whining for a king, Samuel tells them what kind of king they're going to get. And this king is going to exact a lot of taxes. You're going to pay a lot to have a king just like all the nations. And so it was a boon and a blessing to be granted tax-exempt status here in the nation of Israel.

And that's what verses 55 to 58 deal with. Notice at the end of verse 55, whose son is this youth? And then we go on, verse 56, so the king said, inquire whose son this young man is. Then as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

And Saul said to him, Whose son are you, young man? So David answered, I am the son of your servant, Jesse the Bethlehemite. Again, to enact that transaction to grant tax-exempt status to Jesse the Bethlehemite.

Application

Well, as we conclude, I want to draw out just a few lessons. In the first place, I think a very obvious lesson in the passage has to do with the advancement of God's kingdom. The advancement of God's kingdom depends upon God and not us. Now, certainly we are called as the Lord's agents or as the Lord's servants to do what we're supposed to do, but the promise of Matthew 16 ought to encourage our hearts.

I will build my church, Jesus Christ says, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Now that same Jesus who promises that in Matthew 16, at the end of Matthew's gospel in chapter 28 says, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. So Christ promises to build His church, He dispatches His church and gives them specific orders on how they're to do that, but ultimately the advancement of the kingdom depends upon Him.

As we saw this morning, as our brother reminded us from 1 Corinthians chapter 2 this morning, it's a demonstration of the Spirit and power. So that when men have faith, they don't pat themselves on the back. So that when men are brought out of darkness into marvelous light, they don't congratulate themselves or congratulate the preacher, but rather they give glory and honor to God Almighty. The progress of the kingdom does not depend upon the experience or the strength of men.

It doesn't depend upon our armament. It doesn't depend upon our strategy, our tactics, our ability, our ingenuity, or our wisdom. Again, not suggesting we should empty our minds and be ignoramuses, but rather we ought to realize it depends upon God's strength and not our own. and so that we will be dependent upon Him. The progress of the kingdom does depend upon the power of God Most High.

David teaches that very conspicuously in this passage, and it's good for the people of God to get that.

Genesis 3:15 and Fatal Headshots

Secondly, we see in this particular chapter something of Genesis 3.15 coming to fruition. Genesis 3.15 is what's called the proto-gospel, the first promise of the gospel. And it reads, I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.

Now, that is a glorious promise that is programmatic for the rest of Scripture. And what we learn in there is the identity of the seed. It's both collective and individual. The seed of Christ, the people of Christ, are considered the seed.

But the seed singular is Jesus. The seed of the woman is the Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians 3.16 tells us that. The nature of the seed.

He is a man born of a woman. as well the victory of the seed, he crushes the head of the serpent, and the means by which his victory would be achieved would be through the crushing of the head of the serpent, but in the midst, the seed would have his heel bruised. Now that refers to the suffering and the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. So Genesis 3.15 indicates in that one short space what is going to happen in the rest of Scripture. So it shouldn't surprise us, brethren, that in the history of Israel, when the enemies of Yahweh rise up against the children of Israel, that oftentimes fatal headshots are the way to dispatch those enemies.

It furthers, or it illustrates, or it demonstrates something about the skull-crushing seed of the woman. There's just a couple instances I want to show you, and I would encourage you, as you read through the Old Testament, take note how many of the enemies of God, or when there's references to the enemies of God being dispatched, they suffer fatal head wounds. Turn to Judges for just a moment to see this in a couple of instances. The book of Judges.

Judges chapter 4. We have that instance of Jael, the sturdy young woman who, well, I don't know how young she was, but she was certainly sturdy. because she was able to drive a tent peg through Cicera's head. Notice in Judges 4 at verse, well, we'll go back to verse 17. However, Cicera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite.

For there was peace between Jabin, king of Hazor, and the house of Heber the Kenite. And Jael went out to meet Cicera and said to him, turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me, do not fear. And when he had turned aside with her into the tent, she covered him with a blanket. Then he said to her, Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.

So she opened a jug of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him. And he said to her, Stand at the door of the tent, and if any man comes and inquires of you and says, Is there any man here? You shall say no. Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and drove the peg into his temple.

And it went down into the ground, for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. And then as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said to him, Come, I will show you the man whom you seek. And when he went into her tent, there lay Sisera dead with the peg in his temple.

I'm not suggesting that Jael reflecting upon Genesis 3.15, So, you know, there's several ways I can dispatch this man, but I'm going to go ahead and choose the headshot. No, she killed him. She got rid of an enemy, a vicious, vile enemy of the children of Israel. But it was a fatal headshot.

In the Song of Deborah, notice how Deborah refers to this in chapter 5 at verse 24. Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. Blessed is she among women in tents. He asked for water.

She gave milk. She brought out cream in a lordly bowl. She stretched her hand to the tent peg, her right hand to the workman's hammer. She pounded Sisera.

She pierced his head. She split and struck through his temple. At her feet he sank. He fell.

He lay still. At her feet he sank. He fell. Where he sank, there he fell dead.

I know I've rehearsed this recently, but just so you'll know and see that this isn't vicious, this isn't ungodly, this isn't the wrathful Yahweh of Israel doing these horrible things to innocent people. Look at what it goes on to say in verse 28. The mother of Sisera looked through the window and cried out through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarries the clatter of his chariots?

Her wisest ladies answered her. Yes, she answered herself. Are they not finding and dividing the spoil? To every man a girl or two.

To every man a girl or two. That means exactly what it says. Sisera was a vile enemy of God Most High and of the children of Israel. He deserved to be dispatched and he is so in such a way that reflects the promise of Genesis 3.15.

Turn over to Judges 9. There's this man called Abimelech, a man that would ultimately suffer a fatal head blow by a woman in a tower. If you look at chapter 9, specifically at verses 53 and 56. What we'll pick up at verse 50.

Then Abimelech went to Thebes and he encamped against Thebes and took it. But there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women, all the people of the city fled there and shut themselves in. Then they went up to the top of the tower. So Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it.

And he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire. But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull. Then he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, a woman killed him. Too late.

That's what we're saying. A woman killed you. So his young man thrust him through and he died. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man to his place.

Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father by killing his 70 brothers. You see these headshots in the prophets. You see these headshots in the Psalter. You see these headshots all throughout.

And again, I think it is building upon Genesis 3.15. The victory of God is decisive. The victory of God is complete. The victory of God is most excellent and appropriate for the particular cause at hand.

The Theological Message

And then thirdly, again, we've got to take from the passage the theological message. The passage is not about slaying your giants. The passage is not about the advanced military tactics of the shepherd warrior. The passage is summarized in David's declaration in verses 45 to 47.

It is about the honor and glory of God, that the Philistines know this, that the Philistines learn this, and that the children of Israel, who are cowering in unbelief, the children of Israel, who are not manifesting courage, need a fresh dose of a view of Yahweh, so that they will not be reduced to this kind of folly, but rather they will meet the enemies of God, and they will do so with faith in God.

David as Type of Christ

And then finally, there is typology here. David is a type, obviously, of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. David crushed the head of the enemy with a stone and a sword. Jesus crushed the head of the enemy at the cross.

Turn to John's Gospel, John chapter 12. The victory and the triumph of Jesus is consistent with what is written in Genesis 3.15, with what is typified in the fatal headshots that we find littered throughout scripture, vis-a-vis 1 Samuel 17 and the fact that Goliath had parted with his head via David. But with reference to our Lord Jesus, he deals that death blow to the devil through his own suffering and death. Remember, you will bruise his heel.

What's the serpent do? The serpent bites the heel. That's where the serpent goes for. It's a fatal bite.

So when Christ accomplishes His victory over this serpent, He does so through His own suffering and death. That's the means by which He crushes the head of the devil. Notice in John 12 at verse 30, Jesus answered and said, This voice did not come because of me, but for your sake. Now is the judgment of this world.

Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself. This he said, signifying by what death he would die. How does Christ vanquish the enemy?

He does so through his own suffering and death. And based on his own suffering and death, by which the ruler of this world will be cast out, notice verse 32, and I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself. In other words, at the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, at the sufferings and the culmination in death, and then the resurrection from the dead, Christ has satisfied all that the Father had given Him, such that those who are oppressed, such as those that are in bondage to the devil, can find freedom, can find hope, can find liberty, and can find blessed joy. Notice in Colossians 2, the Apostle Paul indicates this selfsame thing.

Colossians chapter 2. specifically at verse 11. Well, it's at verse 15, but we'll read the context. Verse 11, and him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism in which you also were raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has made alive together with him. having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.

And he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross, having disarmed principalities and powers. He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So the promise of Genesis 3.15 is fulfilled along the way in the history of Israel with these fatal headshots dealt out to the enemies of God. But it culminates and is realized in the suffering and the death of the Son of Man for sinners.

Notice Hebrews 2. Hebrews chapter 2. Verse 14, inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. and release those who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed, he does not give aid to angels, but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham.

Therefore, in all things he had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered, being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted. So Christ and his suffering and death opens the way of salvation to needy sinners. Please don't miss this.

Please understand this. This is an extension of what David does in the Valley of Elah, or actually what David does in the Valley of Elah is typical of David's greater side, bringing the death blow upon the devil and the enemy of our soul. And then one final passage in 1 John 3. 1 John chapter 3, verse 7. Little children, let no one deceive you.

He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Isn't that a beautiful thought?

So think about this. If you're not a believer here tonight, if you're not a Christian here tonight, take this data and understand that Christ is victorious. Christ is triumphant. There are enemies against the people of God, the devil being the chief.

Christ has dealt with the devil. Another enemy that the people of God deal with is their own sin. Well, Christ deals with sin. In Him, we have redemption through His blood.

The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. So just as David was able to vanquish this menace, this threat that posed against the children of Israel, Christ has taken out of the way all those things that would hold his creatures down. So come to Christ, look to Christ in faith, believe on Christ for salvation. He cleanses you from sin.

He releases you from the bondage of the devil. And that is a reality. If you are in your sin, you are bound to the devil. You may not acknowledge this.

It may not be primary in your thoughts. But in Ephesians chapter 2, the apostle tells us that we all once walked according to the power of the Spirit that works in the sons of men." I don't want to misquote it. My mind just jumped off of there. But look at Ephesians 2, the before picture of salvation.

The before picture in 2.1, "...and you He made alive who were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath just as the others." So consider this threefold plight that you are in if you are not a believer tonight. You are lifeless, you are helpless, and you are hopeless. That is a horrible place. What's the antidote?

What's the remedy? Look unto Jesus. Believe on Jesus. Stop looking to yourself.

Stop looking to anything that you can do, but rather look unto Him who was raised up. Just like that serpent was raised up in the wilderness, all those Israelites bitten by the serpents looked and they lived. That's what scripture says. If you are in your sin, look unto Jesus and you will have everlasting life.

Christ has accomplished decisive victory through His life, death, and resurrection. Now, may it be the case that sinners come to Him in faith and look to Him and find that blessedness that He holds forth.

Closing Prayer

Well, let us pray. Our Father, we ask that You would do that work in the hearts of men and women and boys and girls here and all over the earth today as the gospel goes forth, that sinners would look unto the Lord Jesus Christ. that they would take Paul's admonition to the Philippian jailer, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved. God, we ask that you would do that for your glory, you would do that to demonstrate that you are, in fact, the true and the living God, that you would do that to encourage the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, may you Bring glory to your name in the salvation of sinners.

And for all of us, God, as believers, would you bless us? Would you increase our faith? We know at times we don't have the courage that we see manifested by David. We don't have the courage of an Apostle Paul.

And yet, Father, we have the same God. So give us grace, increased faith, so that we may walk by faith, that we may glorify you in our daily lives, that we may take seriously that admonition to shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation. And give us the courage and the boldness to hold forth your word of truth. I thank you for my brothers and sisters in this local church.

I thank you for this local church. I pray that you would protect us. I pray that you would watch over us. I pray, Father, that you would give us grace, with reference to our love for you and our love for one another, help us to be prayerful for one another each and every day, and help us to encourage and exhort one another daily while it is called today, lest we be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

We ask these things through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. We'll close with a brief time of meditation. you

Scripture References

• Genesis 3:15
• Exodus 12
• Judges 4; 4:17; 5:24; 5:28; 9; 9:50; 9:53-56
• 1 Samuel 8; 16; 17:20; 17:25; 17:26; 17:31; 17:33; 17:37-58
• 1 Kings 18
• Matthew 16; 28
• John 12:30-32
• Acts 21:14
• 1 Corinthians 2
• Galatians 3:16
• Ephesians 2:1; 6
• Philippians 2
• Colossians 2:11; 2:15
• Hebrews 2:14
• 1 John 3:7